


What's beyond the stars?

by UniversePepperland



Series: You Make My Heart Sing [6]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: CWC, F/M, Fluff, Other, hehe, i decided to change it a bit, take, take it, the, the next one, will have jaal and his mom talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-15 07:42:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10552624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniversePepperland/pseuds/UniversePepperland
Summary: A girl has questions for her father.





	

Ellen had just lowered her book, her fingertips rubbing her temples.The headaches were getting worse, she broke her favorite vase yesterday and had to control Alec, telling him it was nothing.It saddened her that the sound was the only thing that made him come out of his office. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, the doctors were not optimistic about her condition, one of them even warned her to stop working altogether, taking time off to relax until they researched her symptoms. Ellen scoffed, 'researched', she wasn't a test subject to be researched...but...she was.She was one of the first humans to develop a new disease in centuries, she had no idea if she should be upset or proud.

"Mommy?" the voice came from the doorframe, Ellen's head turned slowly, smiling fondly at her tiny starlight.Samantha and Scott had turned four just a couple months ago, the little Ryder Twins, the little troublemakers. It was amazing how similar yet different the two were: Scott was quieter, his love for adventure was there, but he preferred to lie down in a field to watch the stars.Samantha on the other hand, was fast, loved to climb things and discover 'artifacts' or as she called 'artiknacks'. 

Ellen smiled at her little daughter, "What are you doing out of bed,honey?" she asked, walking to her daughter, kneeling in front of her, "Oh, look at your hair." she ran her fingers through the thick black strands, "You had to take your dad's impossible hair." Ellen murmured, looking down at Samantha's blue eyes.They were incredibly like Alec's, even if the twins shared the same eye color, Samantha's was a bluish gray, just like Alec's eyes.

"Couldn't sleep." Samantha murmured, her tiny hand holding the elcor plushie her father gave her, the poor thing was covered in blue glitter and dust, but Samantha would never get rid of it.Alec joked it'd be her 'good luck charm', "Scotty is sleeping but I can't sleep." she said it again, playing with the band aid stuck to her elbow, another reminder of Samantha's 'explorations'.

"Well, do you want some milk?"

"No."

"Perhaps, a story then?"

The little girl shook her head, then turned her head towards her father's office.Ellen's heart clenched, eyes suddenly closing in regret.Alec had been spending so long in that stupid room, the twins were starting to notice his absence.Samantha more than Scott, considering Alec's strong bond with his 'little supernova'.

"I wanna see daddy." it wasn't a request, her little legs already running to the door.She stood on her tiptoes, trying to reach the doorknob, "Mommy!Help!"

Ellen smiled sweetly, opening the door slowly and peeking inside.Alec's back was to them, he was hunched over his desk as always.One of his hands running through his graying hair, the dark brown starting to fade but still long to his nape, "Alec?" Ellen's voice called, "You got a visitor?"

Samantha grinned, rushing to her father's side, "Hi daddy!" she said, glomping his leg, making him jump in surprise, dropping his pencil to the floor.Ellen saw his face contort in frustration before it melted into tired care, "Daddy!" Samantha's hand made a grabbing motion.

"Well little lady," he picked her up by the armpits, making an exaggerated 'hoof' sound that made her giggle, "Shouldn't you be in bed?" he set her on his thigh, nodding to Ellen.They'd be fine.Even if he had to start over the next morning.

Ellen just smiled, closing the door and leaving them alone, "I can't sleep." Samantha announced, placing her elcor on his desk, on top of his papers, "Scott is asleep." she grabbed a little globe that was supposed to resemble Palaven- a gift from the turian Primarch as a 'friendship between humans and turians after the First Contact War'- watching the little metallic flecks move about in the liquid.

"Is he now?And why aren't you asleep?" he questioned, leaning back in his chair so Samantha could get comfortable. Her little back pressed against his stomach, blue eyes focusing on his stubbled face.

Her little hand touched his cheek, pulling away quickly with a laugh, "You are prickly, daddy!"

Alec chuckled, "Well," he rubbed his chin, "Daddy needs to shave."

"No." she began, this time pressing both hands to his cheeks, squeezing them together, "I like it!You look like a porcupine!" she giggled again.Alec's eyes softened, he missed these little moments. He had been in here for so long he questioned if his daughter had gotten taller.

"A porcupine huh?" he asked, squinting his eyes playfully, "Then you are my little porcupine daughter!"

Her eyes widened, "Yeah!I am a porcupine!" she made noises, which he assumed, would be of a porcupine but resembled a very loud pig. After the little scene, Samantha looked at the star maps he had around his room, specifically a galaxy one, "What's that?" she asked, pointing her little finger towards the holo-pad.

Alec smiled, picking it up, "This," he pulled it close so they could see it together,"Is us." the Milky Way galaxy moved slowly in it's virtual shape, making Samantha let out a little gasp

"It's tiny!"

Alec closed his eyes with a quiet snort, "It's not it's real size." he explained, "The galaxy is huge, we are just a tiny," he pinched his fingers a it, "tiny," a bit more, "tiny planet in it."

Samantha's eyes widened, "Very tiny?"

"Very tiny."

She hummed, looking at the holo-pad, "Is this us?" she asked, pressing a planet, it was gray and colorless, making her frown.

"No, that's Palaven." he began, "Where turians live."

She blinked, "Like uncle Urias!" she said happily, "He came from here?" she asked again, Alec not bothered by her curiosity, it made him relax.

"Yes,honey."

"Ah."

"But they don't always live there." he explained, using his finger to change planets, the holo-pad firmly on Samantha's hands, "This, is Earth." he said gently, "This is where all the humans came from." he leaned over a bit, making her head press on his chest, "See here?" he pointed to California, "We live here."

Samantha blinked slowly, turning the holo planet with her finger, exposing the other countries, "Grandma lives here." she pointed at Great Britain's outline, "Grandpa showed me on the map!"

"Did he now?"Alec asked gently, fighting back a yawn as his expressive daughter continued her exploration, swiftly changing from planet to planet. He sighed, rubbing his eyes with his fingertips, he needed to work more but he was so tired, maybe he could nap here again.His back instantly let out a painful crack, making him wince.Probably not.

"Daddy!" Samantha's voice brought him back to life, "What is this?"

There in the holo-pad was Andromeda. "That's another galaxy." he began, "It's called Andromeda." his little daughter made a face at the name, "The closest one to us, 600 years away."

Samantha hummed, "It's not that long." that statement made Alec chuckle, his body vibrating with the laughter. Everything was so simple for children, "It's pretty."

"Yeah?" he asked, watching as she placed the holo pad on the table, resting her elbows on top of it, looking at the figure with interest. 

"Yeah.It has pretty colors."

Of course.

Alec smiled, ready to tell her it was time for bed, but she asked him a question before he could do anything, "What's in there?" she asked, turning her head to him, tangles of thick black hair moving as she did so.

He blinked, taken aback, "Where, honey?"

"In Andro-andro-" she huffed, pressing her little finger on the picture, "Here!"

Alec just stared. He, for the first time, had no answer. They've tried for so many years to send scanners or messages to Andromeda but never got a response, "I...I am not sure." he said, making his daughter frown, "Why?What do you think it's there?"

Samantha looked back at the holo-pad, her eyebrows scrunched in concentration, forehead almost touching the clear surface before she whipped it back, looking at him with a grin, "Cats!"

That made him blink, then smile, "Cats?"

She nodded "Big cats!" Samantha grinned showing her missing teeth, "They talk!" she began, "They are colorful too!" she was very pleased with her explanation, "Like Louie!"

Ah, yes, Louie.His mother in law's cat. The huge white and brown angora that absolutely hated him but loved his children.That thing scratched his cheek when he was dating Ellen, probably jealous of her and he was still a little kitten, "Ah, like Louie huh?" he frowned, "I don't think I wanna meet those cat people."

Samantha giggled, "Louie is nice daddy!" she said, her laughter distorting in a yawn, little fists rubbing her eyes.Alec smiled sweetly, turning the holo-pad off while turning Samantha.He hoisted her on his arm, letting her head lean on his shoulder, "I'm not sleepy." she murmured, visibly sleepy, rubbing her face against his shirt.

"Of course not," he began, "But space explorers need to rest." he picked the plushie Elcor, handing it to Samantha who held it close to her chest, "Even if they don't want to."

Samantha stared at him with a heavy-lidded gaze, her little arms wrapping around his neck "Come on, I am going to tuck you in." he whispered, holding her close as he walked out of his office to the twins' bedroom. Scott was still asleep, holding his Krogan Battlemaster close to his chest, not even seeing when his sister was placed in her respective bed.

"There you go." Alec's gravelly voice softened, his big fingers brushing the hair away from her eyes, "Comfortable?" she nodded, "Want me to read a bedtime story?I am not mommy, but I can try." there was a pause and she shook her head with finality, making him laugh, "Alright, fair enough."

Alec pressed a kiss to her forehead, to which Samantha replied to one on his cheek, "Sleep well, my little supernova." he said, pressing the tip of her nose, making her smile.

He pressed a kiss to Scott's head as well, watching the little boy groan, holding his toy closer to himself.He dimmed the lights, had his back to the door when a whisper made him stop and look back.

"Daddy?" it was Samantha's voice.

"Yes, Sammy?"

She looked exhausted, sleepy, her hair was a mess...but she was smiling, "I love you." she whispered, soon falling back on the bed, covering herself to her chin. Alec's form froze by the door, his chest warming up in pure love for his children.It had been so long since he had spent time with them, actual time, not between breaks chatter.

"I love you too." he whispered, closing the door for the night. Ellen was waiting for him in the kitchen, sipping tea in her 'I <3 Mom' mug the kids made in school.He sighed, leaning against the granite island, bumping shoulders with her.

"Hey, she asleep?"

"Yes, ma'am.Out like a light." he said fondly, one of his hands cupping Ellen's "How are you feeling?"

Ellen shook her head, "I am fine Alec, as fine as I could be for now." she said, clutching his fingers while leaning her head on his shoulder. They stood in comfortable silence a little longer, until Alec interrupted.

"Samantha said there are cats in Andromeda." Ellen laughed, "Because of the demon in your mom's house."

"Louie?Oh my god." she laughed more, "I sometimes don't know what goes in her little mind." Ellen said, rubbing her husband's hand,"But, can you imagine?Cats?"

"Not only cats but colorful cats." Ellen laughed more, a sound Alec adored more than anything, "I think she might be hinting she wants a cat." he frowned, "Not happening."

"Alright, alright, soldier.Are you going to sleep in a bed this time?" his wife asked, her husband groaned while popping his back, making her wince, "It seems you don't have a choice, Ryder." she said, patting his shoulder as the two walked to their room.

* * *

"Samantha?"

Her head snapped, eyes unfocused and surprised as she looked at the bulk of Jaal in her quarter's door, "Yeah, sorry, what was that?" she asked, watching the angara wander closer, his hands on her shoulders.

"You were silent after I asked if you'd like to have dinner." he said softly, a kiss being pressed to her temple, "I heard Liam said it's 'genuine human food'," he frowned, "It looks like worms."

Samantha smiled, "Spaghetti?" he nodded against her cheek, his lips still caressing her skin, "I am all for that."

"You were pensive." he said finally, his arms around her waist as the two of them look towards the vast dark space, "What is on your mind?" he asked.Samantha turned her head, meeting the blue feline orbs she loved so much, his nose twitched a bit under the intense gaze, "Darling?"

She laughed, shaking her head, "Nothing.Just...memories."

"Good memories?" he questioned.

Samantha sighed, "Yeah." she smiled softly "The best."

**Author's Note:**

> *SCREAMS LOUDLY IN THE VOID*
> 
> I NEED MORE ALEC BONDING WITH HIS CHILDREN SO I DID THIS AND I FEEL SO MUCH PAIN BECAUSE I MADE SAMANTHA SUFFER SO MUCH
> 
> *RIPS SHIRT OPEN EXPOSING MY 'I WANT ALEC TO LOVE HIS CHILDREN' TATTOO*
> 
> (i know it's not VERY jaal/samantha esque until it gets to the end...BUT,I might do a continuation of this only it's Jaal instead of Sammy :>)


End file.
